come

1 /kVm/ verb past tense came past participle come MOVE

1 (I) a word meaning to move towards someone, or to visit or arrive at a place, used when the person speaking or the person listening is in that place: Come a little closer. | Sarah's coming later on. | I've come about the job you advertised.

(+ to/towards/here etc): Come here and look at this. | When are you coming back? | come and do sth: Can I come and see you tomorrow? | come to do sth: A man comes to clean the windows on Fridays. | come for sb (=in order to take them somewhere): When is Anton coming for you? | come running/flying/speeding etc: Jess came flying round the corner and banged straight into me. | come to dinner/lunch: What day are your folks coming to dinner?

2 MOVE WITH SB (I) to move to a particular place with the person who is speaking: Can Billy come too?

(+ with): Would you like to come to the concert with me? (+ along): There's room for one more, if you want to come along. TRAVEL

3 (I) to travel a particular distance or in a particular way to reach the place you are in or talking about: We rode back the way we had come. | come by/on/with etc: Did you come on a coach or by train? | come far/miles/a long way etc: Some of the birds have come thousands of miles to winter here. | It would be a shame to have come all this way and not see them.

ARRIVE

4 (I) to arrive or be sent somewhere: The phone bill has come at a bad time.

5 TIME/EVENT (I) if a time or event comes, it arrives or happens: The moment had come for me to break the news to her. | Christmas seems to come earlier every year. | coming soon (=used especially in advertisements): Coming soon, to a theater near you! | the time is coming/will come: The time will come when you'll thank me for this.

REACH A CONDITION/STATE

6 come to sth an expression used in some phrases, meaning to reach a particular state or position: come to a decision/the conclusion: I've come to the conclusion that we've made a mistake. | come to power/trial etc: When does Alan's case come to court? | come to an end/halt/stop etc: Yes, I saw the van come to a screeching halt right there.

7 come open/undone etc to become open etc: Your shoelace is coming untied. | The bottle came open in my bag!

-see also: a dream come true dream 1 (5)

8 come to do sth to begin to do something, especially to have a particular feeling or opinion about someone or something as a result of time or experience: In time you may come to like it here. | That's the kind of behavior we've come to expect from him. | You've come to mean a lot to me.

9 come into sth to begin to be in a particular state or position: As we turned the corner, the town came into view. | The new law comes into effect next month.

HAPPEN/EXIST

10 (I) to happen or appear: Your chance will come one day. | No good will come from all this. | sth comes and goes: "How's the pain?" "Well, it comes and goes." | come in twos/threes etc (=happen two, three etc times, closely together): Trouble always comes in threes.

11 (I) to exist: come in different shapes and sizes: Cats come in many shapes and sizes.

12 as nice/as stupid etc as they come extremely nice, stupid etc: Don't get Bill angry -- he's as mean as they come.

13 take it as it comes to accept something exactly as it happens or is given to you, without trying to change it or plan ahead: For the moment I'm just taking each day as it comes.

14 the best/worst is yet to come used to say that better or worse things can be expected to happen in the future

15 come what may whatever happens: Come what may, I'll never leave you.

16 come to pass literary to happen after a period of time: It came to pass that they had a son.

REACH AS FAR AS

17 (intransitive always + adv/prep) to reach a particular place: come up to/down to etc: The water is pretty deep - it comes right up to my neck. | Carrie's hair comes down to her waist.

SPOKEN PHRASES

18 here comes John/Sheila etc used when someone is coming towards you and you want the person you are with to notice them: Look out, here comes the boss!

19 how come? used to ask someone why something has happened: How come Tyler's still here?

20 come to think of it/come to that used when you want to add something you have just realized or been reminded of: It was really fun - come to think of it, I should write Jim a thank-you note. | I haven't seen her for weeks - or her parents, come to that.

21 come again? used to ask someone to repeat what they have just said

22 come July/next year/the wedding etc at a particular time in the future: Come Monday, we'll be in our new house.

23 come (now) old-fashioned used to comfort or gently encourage someone: Come, Sarah, don't cry.

24 come, come!/come now old-fashioned used to tell someone that you do not accept what they are saying or doing: Come now, try to be more polite.

25 don't come the innocent/victim etc with me BrE used to tell someone not to pretend to you that they are innocent, a victim etc: Don't come the poor struggling artist with me. You're just lazy!

IN AN ORDER/POSITION

26 (intransitive always + adv/prep) to be in a particular position or rank in order, importance, or quality: come before/after: The singing comes before the Mayor's speech. | come first/second etc: "How was the tournament?" "We came last." (=we did not win any games) | My family always comes first. (=is the most important thing in my life)

OTHER MEANINGS

27 BE SOLD/AVAILABLE (I) to be sold, produced, or available: Yogurt comes in many flavors. | The camera comes complete with batteries. | come cheap: Houses like that don't come cheap.

28 have come a long way to have made a lot of progress: Computer technology has come a long way since the 1970's.

29 come as a surprise/relief/blow etc (to sb) to make someone feel surprised, relieved etc: The news came as a complete shock to him. | it comes as no surprise that (=used to say that you were expecting something): It comes as no surprise that their marriage is over.

30 come of age

a) to reach an age, usually 18 or 21, when you are considered by law to be an adult

b) if an artist, style, or organization comes of age, they reach their best, most successful period of time: Mozart's music came of age when the baroque style was at its height.

31 come easily/naturally (to sb) to be easy for someone to do, say etc: Acting has always come naturally to her.

32 years/weeks/days etc to come used to emphasize that something is still in the future or will continue into the future: Nuclear waste will remain hazardous for generations to come.

-see also: coming 1

33 SEX (I) slang to have an orgasm

34 come to hand things that come to hand are easy to reach or use, or are easily available: Just use whatever comes to hand.

35 come to mind if someone or something comes to mind, you think of them when you are trying to find a solution to something: We need a new secretary. Does anyone good come to mind?

36 come to life

a) to become exciting or seem almost real: When he reads out loud, Papa makes stories come to life.

b) to wake up or begin to grow again: spring buds coming to life

37 come clean informal to admit that you have done something wrong

(+ about): I think you should come clean about where you were last night.

38 come right out and say sth to speak in a direct, often surprising way: Susie came right out and asked Bert what he thought of her.

39 not know whether you are coming or going informal to feel confused because you are doing too many things, so that nothing is organized

40 come good/right BrE informal to end or finish well or correctly: Don't worry, it'll all come right in the end.

PHRASAL VERBS come about phrasal verb (I)

1 to happen, especially in a way that seems impossible to control: how did it come about that: How did it come about that humans speak so many different languages?

2 when a ship comes about, it changes direction

come across phrasal verb

1 (transitive not in passive) to meet, find, or discover someone or something by accident or by chance: He had never come across a person quite like Sheila. | I came across some old photos in the attic.

2 (I)

a) if an idea comes across to someone, they understand it clearly: Your point really came across at the meeting.

b) if someone comes across in a particular way, they give other people that feeling or opinion about them: He came across as being rather arrogant. | come across well/badly: I don't think I came across very well in the interview. | come across as (being) sth: Sometimes you come across as being nervous.

come across with sth phrasal verb (T) BrE spoken come across with the goods to provide money or information when it is needed come after sb phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) to look for someone until you find them so you can hurt them, punish them, or get something from them: I heard the tax people are coming after him for unpaid VAT. come along phrasal verb (I)

1 be coming along informal to be developing, or improving, especially in education or health

(+ with): How's Martin coming along with his English? | Mother's coming along nicely, thank you.

2 to appear or arrive at a time you do not expect or cannot know about: Take any job opportunity that comes along. | A bus should come along any minute now.

3

a) to follow someone somewhere: Do you mind if I come along with you?

b) to go somewhere with someone: You go on ahead - I'll come along later.

4 come along! especially BrE spoken

a) used to tell someone to hurry up: Come along now, children.

b) used to encourage someone to try harder: Come along, surely someone knows the answer.

come apart phrasal verb (I)

1 to split or fall into pieces without anyone using force: The book just came apart in my hands.

2 come apart at the seams to become unable to deal with a situation, or impossible to be dealt with: It felt as if his whole life was coming apart at the seams.

come around phrasal verb (I)

1 AmE to visit someone at home or at the place where they are: Mind if I come around after work?

2 AmE to change your opinion so that you now agree with someone: It took some persuading, but he finally came around.

3 if a regular event comes round, it arrives or happens as usual: Thanksgiving comes around so quickly, doesn't it?

4 AmE to become conscious again: It was three weeks before she came around.

come at sb/sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive)

1 to move towards someone in a threatening way: Meg came at me with a knife.

2 if pieces of information, images etc come at you, you feel confused because there are a lot of them all at the same time

3 informal to consider or deal with a problem: We need to come at the problem from a different angle.

come away phrasal verb (I)

1 if part of something comes away from something else, it becomes separated when you are using it normally: I didn't break it! The handle came away in my hand.

2 to leave a place: Come away, Ben. There's going to be trouble.

come back phrasal verb (I)

1 it's all coming back to me spoken to say that you are finally beginning to remember something

2 to become fashionable or popular again

(+ in): Miniskirts have come back in this season.

3 to reply in a forceful, quick, and often unkind way; retort 1

(+ at): I don't want anyone coming back at me over this. (+ with): coming back with a nasty retort -see also: comeback come before sb phrasal verb (T) formal to be sent to a person or group in authority in order to be considered or judged: When you come before the judge, tell the whole truth. come between sb phrasal verb (transitive not in passive)

1 to cause trouble between two or more people: Why should a little argument come between friends?

2 to prevent someone from giving enough attention to something: I don't let anything come between me and my work.

come by sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive)

1 to obtain something that is rare or difficult to find: How on earth did you come by these tickets? | be hard to come by (=to be difficult to obtain or find): Jobs are hard to come by these days.

2 AmE to make a short visit to a place on your way to somewhere else: I'll come by the house and get my stuff later, OK?

come down phrasal verb (I)

1 BECOME LOWER

a) if a price, level etc comes down, it becomes lower: Wait to buy a house until interest rates come down.

b) (+ to) to offer or accept a lower price: Do you think the dealer would come down at all?

2 TRAVEL SOUTH to travel south or away from an important place such as a big city, to the place where the speaker is: Come down for the weekend sometime.

(+ to): Are you coming down to Knoxville for Christmas?

3 BUILDING if a building comes down, it is destroyed by being pulled down

4 come down on the side of also come down in favour of to decide to support someone or something after thinking about a problem for a long time

5 come down in sb's opinion/estimation to do something that makes someone respect you less: John really came down in my opinion after that.

6 come down in the world to become poorer or less successful than you used to be.

7 come (back) down to earth to suddenly have to start dealing with ordinary practical problems after ignoring them for a time: "Charles!" He stopped daydreaming and came back down to earth, startled.

8 DRUGS (+ off/from) informal to stop being affected by a powerful drug such as heroin or LSD that you have taken

9 LEAVE UNIVERSITY (+ from) BrE to leave a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge, after completing a period of study

come down on sb/sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) to punish someone or criticize them severely: come down on sb for doing sth: My parents really came down on me for being out so late. | come down hard on (=punish someone very severely): We're going to come down hard on car theft. | come down like a ton of bricks (=punish someone extremely severely) come down to sb/sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive)

1 if a complicated situation or problem comes down to something, it is the single most important point or choice: it comes down to: It all came down to a choice between cutting wages or cutting staff.

2 if a document, object, idea etc comes down to someone, it has survived from a long time ago until the present: The text which has come down to us is only a fragment of the original.

come down with sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) informal to become ill with something infectious, especially something that is not very serious: I think I'm coming down with a cold. come for sb/sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to arrive to collect someone or something: I've come for the carpet I ordered. | Shall I come for you at about six then?

2 to try to harm someone or take them away where they do not want to go: When the secret police come for you, you'll talk, believe me!

come forward phrasal verb (I)

1 to offer yourself for a job, election etc

(+ as): More women are coming forward as candidates than ever before. | come forward to do sth: We need more volunteers to come forward to help.

2 to offer help to someone in authority who needs it or has asked for it

(+ with): A young girl has come forward with a description of the attacker. come from sb/sth phrasal verb (transitive not in progressive)

1 to have started, been produced or first existed in a particular place, thing or time: Where do you come from originally? | Milk comes from cows. | The passage she quoted came from Dickens.

2 coming from him/her/you etc spoken used to criticize what someone has said because they say one thing and behave in the opposite way: Pretentions? Me? That's rich, coming from you!

3 come from doing sth also come of doing sth to be the result of doing something: "I feel sick." "That's what comes from drinking too much."

come in phrasal verb (I)

1 ARRIVE to arrive or be received: As long as money's coming in, I'm happy. | Reports are coming in of a bad earthquake in Mexico. | Jenny's train comes in at eight.

2 ENTER to enter a room or house: Come in! Take a seat.

3 BE INVOLVED

a) to be involved in a plan, deal etc: We need financial advice - that's where Kate comes in.

(+ on): It'll cost you $1000 to come in on the scheme.

b) to interrupt or enter a conversation or discussion: Excuse me, can I come in here?

4 BECOME FASHIONABLE to become fashionable or popular to use: When platform shoes came in I thought they looked ridiculous.

-opposite go out go 1

5 come in first/second etc to finish first, second etc in a race or competition: I came in a long way behind everyone else.

6 come in useful/handy to be useful: Bring some rope along; it might come in handy.

7 SEA when the tide (=level of the sea) comes in, it rises

-opposite go out go 1, -see also: come in from the cold cold 2 (3) come in for sth phrasal verb (T) come in for criticism/blame/scrutiny to be criticized, blamed etc for something: The police came in for a lot of criticism for excess brutality. come into sth phrasal verb (transitive, not in passive)

1 come into money/a fortune to receive money, land etc after someone has died; inherit (1)

2 to be involved in something: Mary, a minor character, doesn't come into the story much.

3 luck/love/pride etc doesn't come into it! spoken used to say that what someone has just mentioned is completely unimportant: "Your brother was very lucky to win." "It was skill - luck didn't come into it."

4 come into fashion to become a popular thing to wear or do: A-line skirts are coming into fashion again.

5 come into your own to become very good, useful, or important in a particular situation: On icy roads like these, a four-wheel drive really comes into its own.

come of sth phrasal verb (T) to result from something: Nothing came of my attempts to find her. | "I'm fat." "That's what comes of not exercising." come off phrasal verb

1 (intransitive, transitive not in passive) to stop being connected to something or stop sticking to something: How did your button come off?

(+ onto): Some wet paint came off onto her hands. | come off sth: The hook came off the wall when I hung my coat on it.

2 come off well/badly etc

a) to happen well, badly etc: Despite the problems, the wedding came off very well.

b) to do something successfully, badly etc: The vice-president came off badly in the TV debate.

3 come off it! spoken

a) used to tell someone that you think they are lying, or saying something stupid: "I can't stand Claire." "Come off it, Joe, you asked her out last week!"

b) used to tell someone to stop doing or saying something annoying: Come off it, Dave, that's enough now!

4 (I) to have the intended effect; succeed: Irene tried, but her joke didn't quite come off.

5 come off heroin/tranquillizers etc to stop taking a drug that is addictive (=makes you want to keep taking it)

come on phrasal verb

1 START (I)

a) if a light or machine comes on, it starts working: A dog started barking and lights came on in the house.

b) if a slight illness comes on, you start to have it: I can feel a headache coming on.

c) if a television or radio programme comes on, it starts: What time does the movie come on?

d) it comes on to do sth BrE spoken it starts to do something: It came on to rain.

2 come on! spoken

a) used to tell someone to hurry up: Come on, we'll be late!

b) also come along! BrE used to encourage someone to try harder: Come on, guys, you can do it!

c) used to encourage someone to be more cheerful: Come on, let's see a smile.

d) used to show someone that you know that what they have just said was not true or right: Oh come on, don't lie to me!

e) used to make someone angry enough to want to fight you, or to do something they would not normally do: Come on, then, hit me! I dare you!

3 be coming on to be improving or making progress, especially in education or health

(+ with): How are you coming on with your training?

4 DISCOVER (transitive come on someone/something) to find or discover someone or something by chance: Turning the corner, I came on a group of picnickers.

5 come on strong informal to make it very clear to someone that you think they are sexually attractive

come on to sb/sth phrasal verb (T)

1 spoken to move forward in a speech or discussion to a new subject: I'll come on to this question in a few moments.

2 informal if someone comes on to another person, they make it very clear that they are sexually interested in them

come out phrasal verb (I)

1 BECOME KNOWN to become publicly known, especially after being hidden: It was several weeks before the truth of the matter came out.

2 BECOME CLEAR if a fact comes out when you consider something, it becomes much easier to see than it was before: The family resemblances come out strongly in the wedding photos.

3 BECOME AVAILABLE if a book, record etc comes out, it becomes publicly available: A second edition will come out next year.

4 BE SAID if something you say comes out in a particular way, that is how it sounds or how it is understood: The words came out in little more than a whisper. | come out all wrong (=not sound the way you had intended)

5 FINISH IN A PARTICULAR WAY come out well/badly/ahead etc to finish an action, process etc in a particular way or with a particular result: If you spend a little more time on your work now, you'll come out ahead in the end. | I can never get cakes to come out right.

6 SAY PUBLICLY (always + adv/prep) to say publicly that you strongly support or oppose a particular plan, belief etc

(+ for/against etc): The board of directors has come out strongly in favour of a merger. | come out and say/state etc sth: No one will come out and say it, but basically they can't stand her.

7 DISAPPEAR if colour or a mark comes out, it disappears, especially because it has been washed: Ink stains will usually come out if you use a little methanol.

8 SUN if the sun, moon, or stars come out, they appear in the sky

9 FLOWER if a flower comes out, it opens: I love it when the snowdrops start to come out.

10 PHOTOGRAPH if a photograph or a subject of a photograph comes out, it looks the way the photographer wanted it to: Some of the wedding photos didn't come out. | That sunset really came out well, didn't it?

11 HOMOSEXUAL (+ to) if someone comes out, they say openly that they are homosexual

12 WORKER BrE to refuse to work; strike 2 (1): The teachers are coming out in support of their pay claim.

13 GIRL old-fashioned if a young woman comes out, she is formally introduced into upper-class society, usually at a dance

come out in sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) BrE come out in spots/a rash etc to become partly covered by marks because you are ill or sensitive to particular foods or drugs: If I eat eggs, I come out in a rash. come out with sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) informal to say something, especially suddenly or in a way that is not expected: Tanya came out with a really stupid remark. come over phrasal verb

1 (I)

a) to visit someone's house or the place where they are: Can I come over and see you on Friday night?

b) to make a journey, from another country and travelling east or west, to a place where you are now

(+ to/from): When did your family first come over to America?

2 (transitive come over someone not in passive) come over if a strong feeling comes over someone, they suddenly experience it: A wave of sleepiness came over me. | not know what has come over sb (=be unable to explain someone's strange behaviour): I'm sorry I was so rude - I don't know what came over me!

3 (I)

a) if an idea comes over to someone, they understand it clearly

b) if someone comes over in a particular way, they give other people that feeling or opinion about them

(+ as): I don't think I came over as a confident manager at the interview.

4 come over (all) shy/nervous etc informal especially BrE to become shy, nervous etc

come round BrE phrasal verb (I)

1 to visit someone at home or at the place where they are: Why don't you come round for lunch?

2 to change your opinion so that you now agree with someone

(+ to): I'm sure Bradley will come round to our way of thinking.

3 if a regular event comes round, it arrives or happens as usual: Your birthday's coming round again, isn't it?

4 to become conscious again: Kim was muttering, and seemed to be coming round.

come through phrasal verb 1

a) (I) if a piece of news, a result etc comes through, it becomes known or heard: Listen! There's something coming through on the radio now. | We're still waiting for our exam results to come through.

b) if an official document comes through, it arrives: Has your giro come through yet?

2 (transitive come through something) to continue to live, exist, be strong, or succeed after a difficult or dangerous time: We're so relieved that Bill came through the operation all right. | Amazingly, our house came through the storm without much damage.

come through with sth phrasal verb (T) to give people something important, especially when they have been worried that you would not produce it in time: Our representative in Hong Kong finally came through with the figures. come to phrasal verb

1 REACH A STATE (transitive come to something)

a) it has come to this spoken used to express shock that a situation has become so bad: "I want back all the jewellery I gave you." "So, it's come to this, has it, our wonderful marriage?"

b) to reach a particular state or position, especially a bad one: All those years, and in the end it came to nothing. | If it comes to a fight, you can depend on me!

c) what's it all coming to?/what's the world coming to? spoken used to show how shocked or disappointed something has made you feel

2 come to $20/$30 etc to be a total amount of $20, $30 etc: That comes to $23.50, madam.

3 (transitive not in passive) if a thought or idea comes to you, you realize or remember it, especially suddenly: The solution came to him in a flash. | I've forgotten her name, but maybe it'll come to me later.

4 (I) to become conscious again: When Jack came to, he was lying in an alley and his wallet was gone.

5 when it comes to informal

a) on the subject of: I can use a computer, but when it comes to repairing them, I know nothing.

b) when you are dealing with something: When it comes to relationships, everyone makes mistakes.

6 have sth coming (to you) informal to deserve to be punished or to have something bad happen to you: "Ron's been expelled from school." "Well, he had it coming." | I hope you get what's coming to you, you sod!

7 come to yourself old-fashioned informal to gain control of your emotions again

come under sth phrasal verb (transitive not in passive)

1 to be governed, controlled, or influenced by something: Your case comes under the jurisdiction of the county courts. | All doctors come under the same rules of professional conduct.

2 come under attack/fire/scrutiny to be attacked, shot at etc: Some members in the party have come under attack from radicals in recent weeks.

3 if a piece of information comes under a particular title, subject etc, it can be found there in a book, library etc: `Phobias' - that will come under Psychology in section twelve.

-see also: come under the hammer hammer 1 (2) come up phrasal verb (I)

1 APPEAR OR HAPPEN

a) to be mentioned or suggested as something to be considered or given attention: A lot of new questions came up at the meeting. | Your name came up in our conversation once or twice.

b) be coming up if an important event is coming up, it is being arranged and will happen soon: Don't you have a birthday coming up soon?

c) if a legal case comes up, it is dealt with in a court of law: Your case comes up next week.

d) if a job or position comes up, it becomes available: A vacancy has come up in the accounts department.

2 TRAVEL NORTH to travel north or towards an important place such as a big city

(+ to): Why don't you come up to New York for the weekend?

3 MOVE NEAR to move near someone or something, especially by walking

(+ to/behind etc): Come up to the front of the room so everyone can see you. | Aagh! Don't come up behind me like that!

4 SUN/MOON

a) when the sun or moon comes up, it rises: The sun was coming up by the time I finished the essay.

b) when a plant comes up, it begins to be seen above the ground: Look, the daffodils are coming up.

c) when food comes up, it rises back from your stomach after being swallowed: I suddenly felt nauseous and then the whole lot came up.

5 PROBLEM if a problem or difficulty comes up, it suddenly appears or starts to affect you: sth comes up: Sorry I can't go with you - something has suddenly come up.

6 coming (right) up! spoken used to say that something, especially food or drink, will be ready very soon: "Two martinis, please." "Coming up!"

7 come up in the world to become richer or more successful in society: She had come up in the world since her days on the flower stall.

8 BEGIN AT UNIVERSITY BrE to begin studying at a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge

come up against sth/sb phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) to have to deal with opposition, problems, unfairness etc; encounter 1 (1): You've got no idea of what you're going to come up against. come up for sth phrasal verb

1 (T) come up for review/re-examination etc to have a fixed time in the future when something will be examined, changed etc: The new regulations come up for review in April.

2 come up for re-election/selection to reach the time when people have to vote about whether you should continue in your political position

come upon sth/sb phrasal verb (transitive not in passive) literary to find or discover something or someone by chance: Suddenly I came upon a clearing in the wood. come up to sth phrasal verb (T) to be as good as something else or as an expected standard: This doesn't come up to the standard of your usual work. -see also: not come/be up to scratch scratch 2 (3) come up with sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to think of an idea, plan, reply etc: Is that the best excuse you can come up with? | Someone had better come up with a solution fast.

2 to produce a sum of money that is needed: How am I supposed to come up with $10,000?

2 noun (U) slang a man's semen (=the liquid he produces during sex)